The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-04
JEFF DAVIS AT MACON.
G. W. Clifford Says the Scenes Incident to the
Reception Have Been Misrepresented.

the reunion of ex-confederates at Macon. Ga.
which President Davis attended. and stood within
afew feet Of him during the scenes of the review
of which the Northern Republican press have had
no much to say Mr.. Clifford located in Nash
Vile at the close OF the war. and has been
member of two of the largest Wholesale firms in
the city-McAIister. Clifford & Co. At present
he is general agent for Tennessee and southern
Kentucky of several large manufacturing con-
Germs. No citizen is moro highly respected.
Mr.. Clifford is q pronounced Republican and ex-
Union soldier. He is member of George 81.
Thomas Post, No /. G. A r. He has just re-
turned from Georgia, and in an interview yester-
day afternoon he said:
81 have no desire parade my name in print
nor seek to be officious. / trust that those who
know me do not regard me a sensation seeker
or maker. but feel it my duty as an American
citizen to protest against the wrong which Is be-
ing done the people of the South, and more par
ticularly of Georgia. in the publications which
are being made by leading journals OF my party
IN regard to the conduct OF ex-confederates at
the Macon reunion and the conduct of Mr.. Davis.
Every man who knows me knows that was
Union soldier. and have always been firm Re-
publican in politics. It is true that the alleged
incidents which are made the basis of this as
sault by th . Northern and Eastern press &C.
Cured in Georgia. but the assault has widened
until it is sought to reflect upon the loyalty or
the whole South. l was in Macon nsarly week.
from Friday night to Saturday morning of the
next week. I was there on business, but met
many old friends among the ex-confederares l
was never so royalty entertained in my life
that made no difference. Some of the boys who
used to wear the gray asked me whv did not
wear my Grand Army badge. saying they would
like to see our badge alongside theirs press
ing invitation extended TO and other
Union soldiers to drop in line with the
confederates and march side by side with them
1 have never in my life seen city so generally
and handsomely decorated Macon was.
There were few confederate flags hutterng.
but these were principally in front of saloons.
and underneath them were placards stating the
saloon confederate headq the device
evidently being a sharp dodge by the saloon
keepers to attract custom. / saw few confeder-
ate flags on private buildings, bat wish to say
that did not see single confederate flag on
house which not surrounded by scores of
national flags. The national colors were flying
In all directions; l never them hand
somelv and numerously displayed before in all
my lfe The occasion was reunion of ex-con-
federates to greet their old President before he
died. and / was not surprised to find these con-
federate emblems; hut / say, as Union soldier
Jealous OF the cause fought for. that those en-
blems were there, could plsinly see. merely as
u tender tribute to the past. and the magnificent
decorations with the national colors, the thou
sands of national flags and the whole conduct of
the people evinced loyalty to the Union which
man could possibly avoid recognizing. was
standing within ten feet of Mr.. Davis. on the
'front.' porch of Colonel Johnson's residence when
the meeting between him and the confederate
veterans. about which much misre presenta-
ton has been made, occurred. saw the chair
brought out and the old man take his seat in it.
His wife and daughters were about him. Mr..
Davis was very infirm. one could see at glance;
he much excited, and weak that
his family and friends feared the effect
of the trying ordeal on him. When
the headof the column entered the yard,
and, advancing to the railing of the porch,
begged to shake hands with him, his wife and
daughters took hold of his arms and begged him
to keep his seat. reminding him OF his feeble
condition. They were evidently alarmed about
him. and viewed his excitement with undisguised
treDidation. while they were imploring him to
be calm and remain where he was, the flag
pushed forward the railing. Mrs. Davis
leaned forward, and plucking shred from its
torn and tattered folds. fell back in her chair
and putting her hands TO her face began
weep The scene was such that could
have resisted its pathos. The old man who had
presided over lost cause, tottering the verge
of the grave, for the last time he knew. was in
the presence of those who had once followed
him, and were now bidding him an earthly fare
we'll. Not eye in that vast assemblage
was dry. Men wept. yes but their
tears were not disloya1ty to the Union. but
forced from them by the sadness of the scene.
Union soldiers who were there wept and not
ashamed Of their emotion 1t was IN this ex-
element that the flag pushed forward to
Mr. Davis. Rising with effort, he convuls-
lively snatched its folds and pressed them to his
lips, then fell back In his chair exhausted. Then
arose cries COR Governor Gordon. He stepped |
TO the front and delivered speech which was
as loyal to the Union any John Sherman ever |
made When he referred to the perfect union
of the two sections to-day under one flag. the |
cheering was louder and more spontaneous by |
far even than that which greered the incident of
the flag. No man could have looked upon that |
assemblage and heard their shouts and honestly |
entertained the faintest idea that those people |
disoyal to the Union The flag not |
torn to pieces by men eager to preserve relics of |
the emblem which Jefferson Davis had kissed. |
the Republican press charge. It quietly |
borne away. and not shred was taken from it |
except that by Mrs. Davis. / walked among |
the thousands of ex-confederates at Macon and |
talked with hundreds, and I declare with all |
nd rrflth n ar I mot
hear q single thing which indicated any antae-
onsm to the Union. l remember that after it
was all over I was talking with a party of
who had fought for the Union, and happened like
/, to be in Macon business. and some
marked that he wondered II any attempt would |
be made by the Republican press to msrepre-
sent the occasion and we agreed that those who
seek to make the people of other sections be-
lieve that these ex-confederates had acted as
enemies 20 the Union, and given vent to disoyal
sentiments, would be nothing short of a gross
injustice. and that would have the de-
PRAYED Imagination to attempt to do go unless
ne were sensational news correspondent. As
men felt that would be recreant to
sense and consciences If failed recognize
the loyalty among those veteran soldiers now
our peaceful fellow-citZens- l see that the press
of the North has done great wrong. 1 know the
injustice of the charges, and feel ir nv duty to
say what know. It would he base ingratitude
the people among whom live if / did not raise my
voice to protest against this misrepresentation.
One little circumstance illustrates the temper
of the people. / had occasion to spend good
deal Of time at the depot, looking after freight.
and frequently stopped TO look at the gayly-
decorated which had brought Mr.. Davis
from Mississippi There were many flags or it,
but every one was the flag of our Nation"
JEFF Davis En- Route Home.
MACON, Ga, Nov 3-Jeferson Davis and his
family left in special car this morning for
Beauvoir. They were escorted to the depot by
the Macon Volunteers. Though there was
large crowd present TO see them of. there
DO demonstration whatever. Mr. Davis was in
IS good health when he came here. and
walked down stairs as the Johnston House
without assistance.